The Takeaway (National)

John Hockenberry visits the new spying exhibit at the Discovery Center in Times Square. He peruses hundreds of artifacts from the CIA, FBI, and National Reconnaissance Office withTim Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former New York Times reporter who wrote the definitive history of the CIA.

An arrest has been made in the 1979 disappearance of six year-old Etan Patz, who went missing on his way to school 33 years ago today.The arrest may bring the cold case that first got America talking about missing children to a close. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced yesterday that Pedro Hernandez, a former Manhattan store clerk who once lived in the same New York neighborhood as Etan, was under arrest in connection with the boy’s murder. Today is the 33rd anniversary of...

It's the most wonderful time of the year in Europe.It's a time that Europe collectively gathers around the TV to watch and vote in a competition called "The Eurovision Song Contest". Young and old, good and bad take to the stage. But this year there's real concern over who might win. Tradition dictates that the winner gets to host the event the following year, but due to its high cost many in Spain are are hoping their entry does not win. Paddy O'Connellof the BBC reports from the...

When it comes to childhood obesity, there are a lot of factors that have been blamed: processed food, portion sizes, and poverty, to name just a few.But what if childhood obesity isn’t simply about how kids live, but the manner in which they are born? A new study suggests that children delivered via C-section are twice as likely to be obese by their third birthdays than those delivered vaginally. Dr. Matthew Gillmanis the senior author if the new study and director of the Obesity Prevention...

The Olympic Games are intended to be a celebration of athletics with politics set aside.In fact, the Olympic Charter expressly opposes the clash and politics and sport.But over the years, the Olympics have served as a political forum as much as they’ve served as an athletic arena. This year, at least one person is calling on the London Games to continue in this tradition and go political.Mark Stephensis a British lawyer. He recently published a piece in The Guardian calling for the London...

The Spurs and the Clippers have staked out their places in the NBA Western Conference Finals. The Eastern Conference is still up in the air, though, with four teams embroiled in close battles for only two spots in their conference finals. Takeaway sports contributorIbrahim Abdul-Matinlays out what to expect for the rest of the playoffs.

Whether you love or hate politics, it’s hard to deny that when it comes to identity and culture, this year’s presidential election is truly historic. The incumbent is, of course, half black and thus, a racial minority. The challenger is Mormon, and thus, a religious minority. And if you’re black or if you’re Mormon, these minority candidates provide a chance to vote for someone who looks or worships like you, perhaps for the first time. But what if you’re one of the one million Americans who...

This past Saturday, three people died and two others disappeared while descending from the summit of Mount Everest. But it wasn’t an avalanche or a snow-storm or a deadly fall that led to the tragedy. Instead, they had simply started climbing too late in the day, due to a traffic jam of climbers trying to get to the summit during a short window of good weather. As a result, they ran out of supplemental oxygen before they could safely return to base camp. They died of altitude sickness and...

Poverty is one of the most pressing and divisive issues of our day, and Democrats and Republicans have staked out largely different approaches to the increasing divide between the poorest members of the United States and the richest. With the economy central to the November elections, the wealth gap will likely only become even more talked about in the months to come.Peter Edelmanis one of the most outspoken antipoverty advocates in the country. Edelman became a household name in 1996 after...

To many Facebook shareholders, yesterday was likely another dispiriting day. Shares only dropped further below its $38 IPO price, leaving many to wonder about its early valuation and the tact of Morgan Stanley's aggressive push, and many others wondering if they made an unwise investment. Henry Blodget, the CEO and editor-in-chief of Business Insider, was on The Takeaway before Facebook's NASDAQ debut, and he returns to assess his speculations, and what this means for the company and its...

In study after study, we’re told that the economic recovery is real. Unemployment is dropping. Spending is up. But tell that to unemployed Americans over 55. More than half of jobless seniors, about 1.1 million people, have been unemployed for more than six months, up from 23 percent four years ago, according to a government report released last week. But these aren’t just numbers — they’re people all over the country.David Kurtzeris 56-years-old and has been out of work for about two months...

If you’re a parent, if you’re a teacher, or if you’re a student, you probably won’t be surprised by these statistics: In schools that permit cell phones, 71 percent of students text during class. In schools that ban cell phones entirely, the percentage is nearly as high: 58 percent. And whether they’re in school or not, half of teens send over 50 text messages per day. While we frequently hear teachers and parents complaining about these statistics, not all adults see these numbers as a bad...

From an early age we’re taught that death is an important part of life. But that knowledge can be little solace when it comes to coping with the loss of a loved one. Grief can be overwhelming, both emotionally and physically, and the grieving process can sometimes take years to work through. In cases of extreme grief, the American Psychiatric Association is putting forth a recommendation that would, for the first time, give guidelines for a diagnosis of bereavement-related depression. The...

There are several movies coming out that are either targeting women, or depicting them in ways that have critics up in arms. They range from the chick flick “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” to the “The Dictator,” which stars Sacha Baron Cohen as a misogynistic totalitarian leader. Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer, The Takeaway's Movie Date team, are here as usual. In addition to hosting the podcast, Rafer is film critic for Newsday and Kristen is the culture producer for The...

It's Europe's biggest sporting event and should take in more viewers than the Super Bowl. This Saturday, the 2012 Champions League Final will see Germany's Bayern Munich take on the United Kingdom's Chelsea FC in the soccer match of the year. What's the big deal?Grant Wahl, senior writer at Sports Illustrated, explains.